Swingin’ Medallions “Double Shot (Of My Baby’s Love)” / Sir Douglas Quintet “Mendocino”

The Boss turned me onto this song back in the late Seventies when I, at that point in time, related a lot more to double-shots than “my baby’s love”—though, honestly, I wasn’t drinking shots in bars (just huge red plastic buckets of shitty 3.2 beer) (that was a thing, in Columbus, Ohio). As far as hard liquor, I sipped it, savored it, whether or not with ice, from an old-fashioned glass. I’ll come right out and say it, probably the reason I (many of us, boys) drank so much, is because of the multiple layers of anxiety around the thoughts of impending sexual relations. Drinking was something that I could get a grip on—I felt in control—and the more I drank, the more I was in control—until I wasn’t. The song starts out with a hangover—well, actually, it starts with a catchy Farfisa riff and party sound effects, which is why Springsteen called it “fraternity rock.” If you listen closely to the lyrics, it’s not about drinking at all—it’s metaphorical—and it’s not even necessarily about sex—more likely, bubblegum love—but he’s saying that this girl he’s in love with affects him in a similar way to excessive drinking. The record is from 1966, but the song was first recorded a few years earlier by Dick Holler and the Holidays—great band name, though not as great as The Swingin’ Medallions, which I used to think was the best band name I’d ever heard (before I’d heard of The National) (I’m joking). They were from South Carolina, the only state I’ve never set foot in (besides them new ones).

This 45 happens to be one of those cheapo reissues (the label says “SMASH” and “ALL THE SMASH HITS”—which is redundant, but anyway—2 bands for the price of 1). So the B-Side is the Sir Douglas Quintet, a Texas band, singing about “Mendocino”—which is pretty far up the California coast—a place known for its natural beauty. I’ve never loved the song, but it makes sense here, as it also employs a cheesy organ and is to some degree a “fake live” record. It’s a love song (what else) as well—and maybe it’s not literally about Mendocino, but a “Mendocino state of mind”—I’m just speculatin’ here. Well, there’s also a reference to some dude with “strange red eyes”—so maybe it’s an early zombie song—not The Zombies, the band, but a song about zombies. Probably not.

8.4.23